Contacting Ian
by bean21
Summary: "Riley, do you know how to get in touch with Ian?"


Contacting Ian

"Riley, do you know how to get in touch with Ian?"

"Excuse me?" Riley asked, looking over at Abigail.

"You heard me!"

"Wait, Abigail, are you completely insane?!" Riley exclaimed.

"I'm starting to think I am after hanging around you and Ben for so long!" Abigail answered.

"Ok, ignoring what you just said let me point some things out to you that you obviously you didn't notice." Riley got up off the low park bench he had been sitting on and faced Abigail. "Ok, first off, Ian is a criminal..."

"Oh, thank you _so_ much for pointing that out, I never would have guessed!" Abigail exclaimed sarcastically.

"..._and_," Riley continued, again ignoring her, "he is, for that matter, a loser who almost had me shot!"

"Look, Riley, just answer me, do you know how to contact him?"

"Well, it doesn't matter whether I do or not because I'm not going to!"

Abigail crossed her arms and smiled. "You do know how to then."

Riley rolled his eyes. "I have Shaw's number in my cell phone," he mumbled.

"Riley, look," Abigail said softly and so kindly that Riley did look at her. "Ben is in the custody of the FBI right now and we both know he shouldn't be. The only way to get him out is to call Ian."

Riley was quiet, knowing she was right. He sat down again on the park bench and stared at the ground.

"What's your plan?" he asked softly.

"I don't even know yet," Abigail admitted. "I just know we have to act fast."

Slowly Riley pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. He stared at it for a while then began pushing the buttons.

"What am I supposed to say?"

"I don't know."

Riley hit 'call' and held the phone up to his ear, giving Abigail a glance saying _I would rather be jumping off a cliff._ She answered with a look that simply said _I know_.

After a little bit a voice crackled on the other end.

"Yeah?"

"Hey Shaw," Riley muttered.

"Who is this?" Shaw demanded. Riley didn't answer. "Who is this?"

"Give me the phone, Shaw," Riley heard another voice say.

"Hello?"

Riley grimaced. "Hey Ian."

A slow, almost sinister smile spread over Ian's face. "Hello Riley."

Abigail sat down next to Riley on the bench, trying to hear what Ian was saying.

"And to what do I owe the pleasure of this call?" Ian asked calmly.

"If it's that much of a pleasure you can thank Dr. Abigail Chase," Riley answered.

Ian chuckled. "And, uh, she's the one that was hanging on the back of our catering van, yes?"

"Yeah that's the one."

"Ben's new girlfriend?"

"I'm beginning to think she is," Riley muttered. Ian laughed.

"What are you saying about me, Riley?" Abigail asked, very confused by only hearing one side of the seemingly casual conversation between two men fighting against each other.

"So why did you really call, Riley? Trying to get the Declaration back?"

"I think I'm just trying to get my friend back," Riley answered coldly. "Ben is in FBI custody right now."

"Forgive me Riley but how is calling me going to help?"

Hearing Ian say this Abigail grabbed the phone.

"Ian?"

"Yes, who is this?"

"This is Abigail Chase. Look, Ian, you and I both know that the FBI should have you, not Ben. I want to get Ben out of there but I don't know how."

Ian was quiet for a moment, then replied, "And you think I might?"

"Well I know me and Riley can't do it alone."

"And why should I help?"

"Is the treasure a good bribe for you?"

Ian smiled. "It would be a very good bribe, Dr. Chase."

"What are you doing?" Riley hissed.

Abigail didn't answer, just kept talking to Ian. "At the Liberty Bell we found a pair of glasses that we could read the map through. We know where to go. Help us get Ben back and we'll tell you where to go. And," she added, "we'd like the Declaration back."

Ian was silent, considering Abigail's proposal. "How do I know you aren't all lying to me?" he asked.

"I guess you'll just have to trust us," Abigail answered. "We aren't lying, Ian, we just want Ben back."

"Alright, I'll make the arrangements. Just sit tight and don't worry. Ben will be back before you know it."

"Ok, but keep us updated. We have to agree to your plans. We just want your help, not you doing all of it."

"If that's what you want it shouldn't be a problem. We'll keep you updated."

"Are you insane?!" Riley exclaimed through clenched teeth. "Give me the phone!" Abigail stood up so that the phone was out of Riley's reach.

"Trust me!" she whispered to him. "Ok, Ian," she continued. "Bye."

"Bye," he answered. With that the phone call ended.

"What is wrong with you!?" Riley yelled.

"Absolutely nothing!" Abigail yelled back. "Do you want Ben to go to prison?"

Abigail immediately regretted asking it in such a harsh tone. Riley looked more hurt than she had ever seen him.

"I want him back more than you do," Riley answered softly. "But I also know him a lot better than you do. And I know that he would rather go to prison than see the treasure in Ian's hands."

"Riley, I know, and I'm sorry I said that. But, I just told Ian that we'd tell him where to go. And we know that. Who knows if there will be another clue or not. We just have to get Ben back."

"Ok, ok, I just don't like trusting Ian, it never works too well."

"I know, but don't worry, everything's going to be ok."

"I hope you're right!" Riley answered with a groan. Suddenly his face lit up with an idea, then he just sat there, thinking it over. "Give me my phone back, Abigail," he said.

"Why?"

"_Because!_" Riley answered in an annoyed voice. "It's my phone, give it back!"

Abigail sighed and handed him his phone. Immediately he began hitting buttons and help the cell phone up to his ear.

"What're you doing?" Abigail asked, but Riley didn't answer.

"Hey," Riley said in response to the person on the other end of the phone. "Is Ian still there? Yeah, ok."

"Riley, why are you calling him back?"

Riley sighed. "As much as I don't like the guy I gotta get Ben back, so I'm making sure that happens."

Abigail was confused but didn't say anything because Riley started talking with Ian.

"Hey, Ian, it's Riley."

"Ok. What happened, did you change your mind?" Ian answered.

"No... but listen, how will Ben know you're trying to help him?"

Ian didn't answer immediately.

"Uh-huh, ok, listen, I know how to make it so he knows you are."

"Alright, Riley, please share."

"Listen, I know a way to make him trust you and do what you tell him without straight out saying that we're helping. Before you tell him what to do or whatever there's a line he told me that if you say it to him he'll probably do what you want."

"Alright, so what's the line?"

"It was something about Thomas Edison, how he didn't fail when he couldn't make the lightbulb, he just needed to find the one right way to make it work."

"Ok, let me right it down," Ian answered. Over the phone came the sound of things being pushed around. Ian was obviously looking for a pencil and a sticky note. "Edison..." he mumbled as he jotted it down, "...lightbulb...one right way...alright, got it. Thank you Riley."

"Yeah whatever, just get Ben back." With that Riley hung up the phone. He held his head in his hands. "Why am I doing this?!" he asked no one in particular.

Abigail sat down by him on the bench and put a hand on his shoulder. "Because you're trying to get your friend back," she answered softly.


End file.
